Choosing Kitchen Worktops

I’ve waited years and years for my new kitchen and had so many changes of heart along the way. My tastes have changed from gloss black units, to white units and black worktops, and then finally settling on gloss white units and white worktops. Now I thought choosing the units would be the hard part, but the hardest decision has been the kitchen worktops!

Laminate worktops are great value for money and can be very hardwearing. They come in longer lengths than some other types of worktops, so are a good option if you need a long worktop. If you have an L shaped worktop like me, they will however, have a join. Because I wanted white units and have had problems with staining on my existing cream worktops, I was quick to rule these out. I also really wanted an undermount sink and this isn’t possible with a laminate worktop.

Image from TOPDOORS.CO.UK

Solid wood worktops would add warmth to an all-white kitchen but they do require more maintenance than other worktops, as they need regular oiling (at least every three months). Again, an undercounter sink is not a good idea with wood worktops, as bacteria can breed. As I was having a wooden floor in the kitchen, I thought this type of worktop would be just too much wood.

Image from Worktop Express

Granite worktops are extremely popular because they’re strong and durable. Apparently, (I can’t vouch for this!) they’re great for keen cooks as the cold surface is ideal for making pastry!! As granite is a natural stone, each piece is unique so the veining pattern cannot be guaranteed. It also needs to be well looked after because it can scratch and stain easily, so this was also a no-go for me.

Image from SPM Granite

Quartz worktops are a man made alternative to granite but just as hardwearing. Because they’re man made they have a greater colour consistency and range of colours. They also have the added benefit of a built in unit bacterial protection. They are highly stain resistant and scratch resistant and on top of all of that they look amazing!

These were the ones I went for, so we arranged for someone to come and measure up and give us a quote. I had accepted that I would need a join for L shape but the fitter said we would also need another join as the quartz only came in 3 metre lengths and we needed 3.1m! We did consider this at first, but after looking at some pieces that had been joined, we decided we didn’t want to spend a significant amount of money and have visible joins.

Image from Houzz

Corian and Krion worktops are solid surface materials perfect for creating curves and different shapes. You can even have a moulded sink and worktop as one piece! The joins are invisible, which makes it really hygienic as there are no gaps or joins for dirt to hide in. It can be cleaned with bleach products, which I like and is all stain resistant. Hot pans are the only problem, but as long as you use a trivet you will be fine.

After much deliberation, this was the one we chose in bright white. It is currently being fitted as I write this, so if you follow me on instagram, check back later to see how it looks!

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